His Afro is His Crown by Shaquille Smith

Fear him, he walks with Pride
Fear him, he never cries
Fear him, he “breaks the law”
Fear him, his crown is tall

Coated in the color of professionalism
The authority is still chasing after him
You who think of him as a skeptical character by default,
He’s innocently skipping past you and the leader of your cult

You can’t miss him in the light
And even if you don’t notice him in the night
Either way you know he stands tall and proud
Without metal or gold, his Afro is his crown.

Shaquille Smith is a writer from New York. His work often embraces things like sexuality, race, and gender. He’s heavily influenced by indie rock bands and pop songs. With his writing, he hopes to inspire millions and motivate others, as writing has done for him. You can find more of his work on his website here. Illustration by Francine.